VETERANS FOR PEACE, CORVALLIS

Minutes March 23, 2009

I.  Attending: 

David Meade, Bob Winget, Leah Bolger, Bart Bolger, Bob Stebbins (presiding), Del Shirley (scribe), George Hutchinson.

 

II.  Administration

 

Treasurers Report Bart

Net $308 income more than spent.  $1339 of which $724 is allocated in special funds.     $310 was received from the recent appeal. Leah sold t-shirts & flags at the Regional Conference bringing in approx $140,   Bart paid for proxy on the website at 9$ per year.  This insulates his personal identity from the web site.

The Benton County Blue Book (with yellow cover) was automatically renewed for $35.  $20 was spent on recruiting brochures. 

 

Book from VFP Northwest: 10 Reasons for Not Joining the Military.  Bart request authorization for  $60 to buy damaged copies at $1 each.  The plan is to make them available when tabling.  

UNANAMOUS DECISION:  Authorize Bart to Purchase 60 copies at $60 total.

 

Dues payment status--Bart Bolger.  Bart is sending out notices to those members that are, or soon will be, in arrears.

 

Website –Bob Winget is webmaster.  Current status of web site Bart Bolger. The website is being updated as information becomes available.  Members are to send suggestions and content to Bart.

 

III. Past actions/events status and debrief

 

            VFP Regional Conference:  Leah reported on workshops and speeches, their affect on our future activities.   Leah, Rebecca, and Benji went.   Ray McGovern and David Korten were great speakers.   One of the best panels was with the National Leadership, of which Leah is a member.  They discussed what VFP is supposed to do and there was a variance in ideas.   Leah advocated leaving some of the tasks to other veteran’s service groups. Her point is we should focus more on advocacy and influence politics because we have a unique niche here. Our chapter is a social action (vs social service) chapter.   We are more qualified as veterans to do social action.  The audience appeared to support her position.  Ongoing discussion with the Board is continuing re what VFP role is.  The National Board is intending to be more focused on general policy decisions rather than telling chapters what to do.  We will forward our comments to the Board. 

 

We are to share “good ideas” with other chapters and our elected leadership in each chapter is asked to be accountable to do this. 

 

Discussion was interjected re how to organize chapters and how we connect with potential members from outlying areas to Chapter meetings.

 

Leah distributed the following which she picked up at the Regional Conference.

            Yes Magazine

War Crimes Magazine

The book, Will War Ever End? By Paul Chappell.

 

March 15th  Rally in Salem: Leah Bolger & Bob Stebbins—Speeches were good.  Benji gave a good talk.  56 groups sponsored it.  Turnout was good considering rain was predicted.  It helps keep up enthusiasm when so many people who care get together to see each other. 

 

 

            March 16  Day of Lobbying in Salem. Leah Bolger.   ROP organized Lobby Day.  Nearly all 90 legislators were visited.  A few more legislators became committed to “Keeping Oregon’s National Guard in Oregon.”

 

March 19th observance of 6th anniversary of start of war in Iraq. Bart Bolger.   Only a few VFP folks came.  About 50 marched.  It is surmised  lot of people are tuning-out because of the Iraq war winding down and there is advocacy fatigue.

 

 

Bring the Guard Home Campaign (http://www.pjw.info/troopshomecampaign.html)  Leah:  Leah distributed cards and encouraged us to send them to our legislators.

 

The House Rules Committee had hearings with some support.  A good crowed attended.  5 of 8 members must vote to send it out to the house onto the floor for vote.  We need to push for a work-session and push to get 5 votes.    It will not come out of committee if it might fail—The Chair wants to count on 31 votes first before having the work session—have a vote assurance before voting to send out of rules committees and also wants some confidence that it will pass the senate.  Chair Roblin needs encouragement.  We need to both get cards out and talk with our representatives.  Representatives Gelser and Olson support the legislation.  Senator Morse needs prodding.  Leah has special cards with logo for those wanting them.

 

NOTE: Oregonprogressivenetwork.org is a network of many organizations and Leah is going to get them to put the Bring the Guard Home Campaign on the site.  Our Chapter is a member.  Leah is encouraging us all to get registered for their e-letters.  Petitions, links, pictures, etc. can be circulated on it.

           

IV.  Action Team reports and planning

              

Veterans’ Affairs—Bart Bolger:  Bart proposed to disband the Veteran’s Affairs Action Team as a regular project because it is not a major focus of the chapter.  Bart will continue to monitor the issues on his own. Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs has a newsletter which can be accessed at Oregon.gov/odva 

Decision was made by consent to discontinue the Veterans’ Affairs Project.

 

Homelessness: Bob Stebbins.   Bob Stebbins went to city council and spoke in support of homeless veterans.  Jeanne Raymond asked Parks Dept to pick 3 potential sites.  On April 19 the Council will hear the report

 

Counter-Military Recruitment—John Griffiths, Bob Stebbins, Rebecca Michelson, and Bart Bolger: 

Results in Philomath--- Bart Bolger:  Bart had his first visit in the Philomath HS in the Counseling Center.  No students came by.  Bart left materials and plans to go back monthly.  His goal is not to dissuade; it is to inform--to help students understand what they are getting into, pitfalls, etc. Bob Stebbins reported on his activities at CV.   A student stopped by who wanted to have the military pay for his engineering school costs.  

 

Assistance to Benji Lewis--Leah Bolger:  Benji is resisting recall to active duty from Individual Ready Reserve.  On May 18 at noon in the Corvallis Public Library, Benji will publicly refuse to be recalled to duty.   He needs help to organize, provide housing for out of town supporters, to plan and promote the event. It is being held on the date he is supposed to report to the Pendleton Marine Corps base.  George will help. Anyone interested in helping support Benji, call Leah.

 

More publicity for chapter activities/affairs.  Rebecca was not present so Bart reported.  VFP National had a map showing chapters participating in events and no Oregon Chapter appeared on the map because we didn’t let National know we were involved in last weekend’s activities.  Bob Stebbins said he could write a monthly article for the National newsletter and others volunteered to help him.

 

The Keep Our Guard Home banner is available for anyone wanting to hold it up at an overpass.  Let Leah know.

 

The music group, Emma’s Revolution, will be in Portland on the 16th of May.  They will be in Corvallis on the April 17th.  UUC Peace Action Council would support the concert and could provide the place if the space is available.  It was suggested profits go to support Benji’s “No return.” 

 

Survey and report on web sites--Bob Stebbins.   Search and produce a list of web sites on social activism and evaluate them for usefulness and pertinence to our focus .  Bob passed out cards with the web sites on them and asked that we evaluate.

 

 

VI.Scheduled Future actions/events

             

March 22, Peace and Justice Coalition— Leah Meets on the Fourth Sunday of each month to share what each organization is doing.  They didn’t meet this month.

 

April 1 deadline for Theme Contest ($500 prize) for National Convention on Aug 5-9 at the University of Maryland

 

April 25-26 Peace Jam Bart Bolger:  Sunday the 26th is our day.  A skit on truth in recruiting is being developed.   It will happen at OSU at the MU.  Rebecca, Benji and Jane White are also working on it.

 

April 27 Next VFP monthly meeting

 

Daily, 5:00 to 6:00 pm—Corvallis Peace Vigil, Benton County Courthouse

 

Fridays, 4:30 pm--Albany Peace Vigil, Linn County Courthouse

 

 

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